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A stained pool gets the phone ringing. Knowing whether it needs a wash or a complete resurface is where the experience comes in.
This week on Tru in the Loop, Truman sits down with Mike from Stay Fresh Pools and Dope Boy Pools in Arizona’s East Valley for a frank conversation about chemical washing, customer expectations, and building a pool business that actually pays.
Mike walks through how his company evaluates pool interiors, why he puts his service customers on a two-year drain schedule, and how his washing process has changed over the years. He discusses his experience with Pool Wash, bicarbonate baths, and MicroGlass, while Truman asks how those services fit into ongoing pool care.
Then the conversation turns to the money. Included filter cleanings. Chemical costs. Hiring technicians. Customers who say no. And the expensive lesson that a full route doesn’t necessarily mean a profitable business.
In This Episode
- Chemical wash or resurface? How Mike evaluates a pool before recommending the work.Arizona versus Florida: Different markets, maintenance practices, and customer expectations.Mike’s washing process: His approach to Pool Wash, bicarbonate baths, and MicroGlass.Customer education: Explaining the scope and price of a service.The cost of callbacks: Why Mike makes reducing return visits a business priority.Pricing for growth: Charging enough to support employees and build careers.Filter-cleaning economics: Truman examines the unpaid time hiding in his service rate.Industry education: Manufacturer relationships, formal training, and field experience.Entrepreneurship: Finding room for family when the business follows you home.
Episode Chapters
00:00 — Truman introduces chemical washing
01:46 — Meet Mike from Stay Fresh Pools
02:57 — What is a chemical wash?
04:45 — Mike’s two-year drain policy
06:31 — Bicarbonate baths in Mike’s process
08:25 — Evaluating an interior: wash or resurface?
09:54 — Stain treatments and Pool Wash
12:16 — How Mike’s washing methods evolved
14:24 — Discussing MicroGlass
17:05 — Communicating value and reducing callbacks
18:44 — Truman questions the chemical-use argument
22:24 — Discussing LSI and scale
23:53 — Business tip: set your standards and your price
26:15 — Filter cleanings and service-rate economics
28:36 — Pricing, hiring, and growth
32:07 — Where to find industry education
34:31 — Advice from a mentor
35:45 — Connect with Mike
37:57 — The demands of business ownership
39:04 — Closing thoughts
Connect with the Guest
Find Mike through Stay Fresh Pools and Dope Boy Pools on Instagram, or Mike StayFresh on Facebook.
Sponsor: This episode is brought to you in part by Pool Brain.
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This episode contains explicit language. Product descriptions, treatment claims, and service schedules reflect the guest’s views and practices.
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